Staying Solo | Business Strategy for Service Providers, Creatives and Consultants

Maggie Patterson | Service Business & Sustainable Growth Strategist
  • 4.8 (78)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Weekly

Running a solo service business is tough. It's even harder when the business strategy and sustainable growth advice you're being sold constantly pushes you to work more, ignore your values, and forget why you started in the first place. Staying Solo is THE podcast for service providers, creatives, and consultants who want to stay intentionally small, build on their own terms, and skip the performative business BS. You're a service business owner, creative, or consultant who's damn good at what you do. But the flashy strategies and online advice keep adding more to your plate. You're tired of being told to scale, hustle harder, or stop selling services—as if there's something wrong with working with clients. You're ready for a delightfully boring business: predictable, profitable, peaceful, and built to support your real life. Your host, Maggie Patterson, is a service business consultant with 25 years in client services and more than 20 years of self-employment. She's still delivering client work while the celebrity entrepreneurs are telling you to quit both and buy their course. Each week, Maggie breaks down mainstream business advice that doesn't work for solo service providers and shares what actually does. Expect practical conversations about strategic planning, positioning, pricing your services, client boundaries, capacity planning, and business burnout prevention. Staying Solo doesn't mean you have to figure all this shit out yourself. The goal? A simple, sustainable business that serves your clients without running you into the ground. Less putting out fires. More calm days, sound sleep, and space for your life. Because you're not playing small. You're staying strategically small. Listen and subscribe before you decide to burn it all down and open a flower shop, bookstore, or cat cafe. (Because those cats won't pay the bills.) Next Steps: 👀 Find episodes, resources, and more at https://bsfreebusiness.com/ 🎥 Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@bsfreebusiness ＠Connect with me on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@bsfreebusiness

  1. Oct 26

    Inside Revenue Reset: From Big Decisions to the Details That Make Them Work

    You can spot what needs to change in a client's business in about ten minutes. Your own? You've been thinking about the same three things for six months. Knowing something needs to change and figuring out what to do about it are two very different jobs…especially when you're already busy doing the work that pays the bills. In this episode, I'm taking you inside Revenue Reset to show you how we work through those decisions together: what to change, what to keep, and what you can finally stop doing. Even if we never work together, you'll get a few fresh ideas for making those calls in your own business. Topics discussed in this episode include: The power of getting everything out of your head before you decide anything needs to change (and not messing with what's actually working for you).  How your clients get the very best of your brain and the two most common scenarios I see with service business owners.  The danger of identifying the wrong problem and what it can cost you.  What hands-on consulting looks like beyond "here's your plan, good luck." The stark reality of how long it can take to make changes and see tangible results. (And why you need to be willing to refine as you go because we don't do quick fixes around here.)  For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

    Inside Revenue Reset: From Big Decisions to the Details That Make Them Work

  2. Oct 19

    One Offer, 14 New Clients: Kim Cofino's Revenue Reset

    Need more revenue? Before you create another damn offer, look at what you're already selling. That's where my client Kim Cofino and I started. The result? 14 new clients, months before her usual fall launch. Same program. A new reason to join sooner. In this episode, we're unpacking that shift—and how to make more money from what you've already built, including:  The power of zooming out and looking at what's working well before you decide to add anything new How Kim aimed for three new clients and booked 14 by restructuring her offer and giving clients a new entry point to buy.  How Kim and I worked together to eliminate marketing busywork, dial in her positioning and simplify everything.  How having someone help you can help you make the decisions you've been circling for months. Work with me inside Revenue Reset this fall. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

    One Offer, 14 New Clients: Kim Cofino's Revenue Reset

  3. Oct 12

    What It Actually Took to Revenue Reset My Own Business

    We've all heard the business advice to "just launch it." Sounds easy enough but the thing is, you can't turn an idea into a profitable offer by next Tuesday without figuring out who wants it, what it's worth, how you'll sell it, and whether you actually want to deliver it. When I created Revenue Reset, I spent months figuring out those pieces.  The result? 13 clients booked in the first year and a new revenue stream that helped me step away from corporate work. In this episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of that process including:  How I turned work I've been doing for years into a productized  1:1 consulting offer.  My methodical approach to creating the service and everything that needed to happen to support it.  The questions I asked before I worried about packaging or pricing anything.  A look at my promotion plan and the metrics I've been tracking. You can learn more about working with me 1:1 in Revenue Reset here. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:.= Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

    What It Actually Took to Revenue Reset My Own Business

  4. Sep 21

    This is What Paid & Peaceful Looks Like

    What if your business doesn't need another offer, client or plan? What if the solution is for you to calm the hell down and decide what you actually want? In this episode, we're bringing together everything from our Paid and Peaceful series to help you make better decisions, earn more and build a business with a whole lot more peace. Topics discussed in this episode include: How the five core principles of Paid & Peaceful work together to shape everyday business decisions. Why defining enough helps you stop treating every opportunity for more as an obligation. How to think about comfy money and evaluate whether more revenue is actually making you more money. Choosing your own version of success and building a business around what you actually want. Why your business doesn't need to become your entire identity. How to treat capacity like currency and make deliberate trade-offs. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

    This is What Paid & Peaceful Looks Like

  5. Sep 14

    Capacity Is Currency: Spend It Where It Counts

    You've optimized your calendar, built the systems, and automated what you could. Yet somehow, you're still stretched too thin. So you assume you need a better productivity system—or more discipline, focus or efficiency. But what if productivity isn't the problem? What if you're simply asking yourself to do too much, under conditions that make everything harder? In this episode of the Paid and Peaceful series, we're looking at where your capacity is going, when productivity tips become toxic, and three questions to help you decide what's actually worth your time and energy. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why productivity isn't the problem—and how overcommitting drains capacity. Supportive productivity vs. "toxic productivity". Why capacity includes energy, emotions, sensory needs and work conditions. How boundaries, margin and agency create better working conditions. Why every "yes" has a cost and how to decide what's worth it. Three questions to decide what deserves your time and energy. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

    Capacity Is Currency: Spend It Where It Counts

  6. Sep 9

    You Can't Keep Working This Hard Forever: Inside the Paid & Peaceful Mastermind (Pop-Up Episode)

    You've built a service business that works. Your clients are happy, the money is coming in, and you're damn good at what you do. BUT you're working harder than you want to, carrying every decision alone and wondering how long you can keep doing business this way… So what kind of support do you need at this stage—and is the Paid & Peaceful Mastermind the right place to get it? In this episode, I'm giving you the real story about what happens inside the mastermind, who's already in the room and what we'll work on together. In this episode, we cover: Who the Paid & Peaceful Mastermind is built for—and who shouldn't join The problems experienced service business owners bring into the room How we work on your salary, space and strategy so the business pays you better without demanding more of your life Who's already committed to the group and what members have in common What happens during your first 90 days, including creating your Paid & Peaceful Plan The one-to-one and group support you'll have throughout the 12-month mastermind Links for This Episode: Paid & Peaceful Mastermind Details Book your consult call

  7. Sep 7

    The Myth of the Obsessed Entrepreneur

    A lot of us started businesses because we wanted more freedom, flexibility and control over our time. So how did we end up with a version of entrepreneurship where the business becomes our identity, our purpose, and basically our entire life? I think we've lost the plot. In this episode, we're talking about why obsession isn't the price of being a serious business owner, what happens when your business becomes too much of who you are, and how to put it back in its rightful place—so it supports your life instead of taking it over. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why your business doesn't need to be your entire identity. Separating business outcomes from your sense of self-worth. The importance of having hobbies, relationships and identities outside of work. Why constant growth and optimization aren't always signs of success. The difference between being committed to your business and being obsessed with it. How to create more space for your life while still building a profitable business.  For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

    The Myth of the Obsessed Entrepreneur

  8. Aug 31

    What If There's Another Version of Success?

    What if you've been channelling your ambition towards the wrong thing?  We're taught to aim our ambition at more: more money, more success, more growth, more everything. But what if you don't actually want more of those things?  What if there are other things you'd rather have more of like time, freedom, creativity, connection, ease, or simply a life you actually enjoy? In this next episode in the Paid and Peaceful series,  we're talking about what happens when you stop assuming business growth is the obvious place to put your ambition and start asking a much more interesting question: What's actually worthy of my ambition? Topics discussed in this episode include: Why we're taught to equate ambition with more money, growth and success. The difference between desire-driven and proving-driven ambition. How hustle culture keeps us chasing an endless finish line. Why ambition isn't a meritocracy and the role privilege and circumstances play. Redefining success with a new scoreboard focused on your life, not just your business. How to decide what's actually worthy of your ambition and what you're willing to trade for it. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

    What If There's Another Version of Success?
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About

Running a solo service business is tough. It's even harder when the business strategy and sustainable growth advice you're being sold constantly pushes you to work more, ignore your values, and forget why you started in the first place. Staying Solo is THE podcast for service providers, creatives, and consultants who want to stay intentionally small, build on their own terms, and skip the performative business BS. You're a service business owner, creative, or consultant who's damn good at what you do. But the flashy strategies and online advice keep adding more to your plate. You're tired of being told to scale, hustle harder, or stop selling services—as if there's something wrong with working with clients. You're ready for a delightfully boring business: predictable, profitable, peaceful, and built to support your real life. Your host, Maggie Patterson, is a service business consultant with 25 years in client services and more than 20 years of self-employment. She's still delivering client work while the celebrity entrepreneurs are telling you to quit both and buy their course. Each week, Maggie breaks down mainstream business advice that doesn't work for solo service providers and shares what actually does. Expect practical conversations about strategic planning, positioning, pricing your services, client boundaries, capacity planning, and business burnout prevention. Staying Solo doesn't mean you have to figure all this shit out yourself. The goal? A simple, sustainable business that serves your clients without running you into the ground. Less putting out fires. More calm days, sound sleep, and space for your life. Because you're not playing small. You're staying strategically small. Listen and subscribe before you decide to burn it all down and open a flower shop, bookstore, or cat cafe. (Because those cats won't pay the bills.) Next Steps: 👀 Find episodes, resources, and more at https://bsfreebusiness.com/ 🎥 Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@bsfreebusiness ＠Connect with me on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@bsfreebusiness

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